| Are you a Saint? A Zen Master? How about just a | | | | yourself. Does it create any negative wave within |
| good human being? How do you know? What are | | | | you? Any tinge of jealousy? Any feeling of irritation? |
| the qualification? Are there any tests you can take | | | | Any feeling of frustration? Any feeling of hurt? Does |
| to find out your spiritual growth? Yes there are. | | | | it cause any ripple, any disturbance, in your psyche? |
| There are lots of ways to test your spiritual progress | | | | The greater the disturbance the more the test |
| and life is constantly doing just that by giving you | | | | indicates its time to get busy with your spiritual |
| tests to help you evaluate yourself in order to make | | | | practice. Here is a more detailed analysis of the test |
| spiritual progress. There are also many ways to | | | | results. |
| assess your spiritual level proactively and in this article | | | | A negative reaction or disturbance can indicate the |
| I will provide one such illuminating test. | | | | following with regard to your spiritual state. |
| Human beings are complex and so is life. I am glad it | | | | 1. Too Much Ambition: You are probably focused too |
| is so. The test I propose in this document is to | | | | much on getting results and are overly ambitious. |
| evaluate some aspects of your being and is by no | | | | These attachments to the results can cause jealousy |
| means a comprehensive examination. Perhaps I will | | | | and ill-will towards those who have already achieved |
| come up with a more complete system down the | | | | what you so badly seek. Another way to look at this |
| road, but for now let's try this one test to get us | | | | is you may not be doing what your really love to do |
| started. | | | | in life? This is the only way to be free of the |
| This test will help you determine if you have the right | | | | clutches of society and gain oriented living. Doing |
| perspective, the right spiritual attitude towards life, or | | | | what you love to do, will free you from everything. |
| if you have been snared by society and entrapped | | | | If this test produced negative waves, it could mean |
| by the ugly web of attachment. | | | | that you are only doing things to see what you will |
| From my experience this one test, although simple, is | | | | get out of them, instead of doing things for their |
| quite revealing. It is incisive and cuts deep into your | | | | own sake. |
| psyche to reveal the conditions under which you are | | | | 2. Non-Dual Perception of Reality: The test could also |
| currently operating. Using it, I can not only keep a | | | | indicate that you are living excessively in an |
| sharp eye on if I am slipping into the jaws of | | | | ego-centric way. You are seeing the world as full of |
| ambition, but can also determine the state others are | | | | separate people and focusing on the various |
| in, with regard to their "spiritual evolution". | | | | personalities, instead of seeing the world in a non-dual |
| By no means am I suggesting that you start to use | | | | light with all of creation being One and having nothing |
| this test (or others I might propose) to start judging | | | | but divine nature. As Yogi Bhajan points out, "If you |
| the world or yourself harshly. The test is simply to | | | | don't see God in all, you don't see God at all." Are |
| be used as an indicator, to give you insight and help | | | | you seeing the Divine Nature of he who is getting |
| you with your spiritual work. So here is how the test | | | | under your skin? Are you seeing the Oneness of |
| works. | | | | Reality? |
| Test To Determine Your Spiritual Growth & Mental | | | | 3. Chasing the Wrong Things in Life: If you have |
| State | | | | never thought about it, let me point out an |
| Step 1: Take a few moments and determine what | | | | interesting fact about enlightenment. In society there |
| you are very passionate about. This can be your | | | | is so much competition because resources/rewards |
| career, but, does not necessarily have to be so. It | | | | are limited. There are only so many top 10 Blogs, |
| should be something, though, that you are actively | | | | there is only 1 winner in the tournaments, there are |
| engaged in doing and something that you feel deeply | | | | only limited political seats, there is only 1 CEO, only so |
| about. Here are some examples: Yoga Teacher, | | | | much oil, land, etc etc. This breeds competition and |
| Professional Blogger, Health Care Professional, | | | | conflict. But Enlightenment is not limited. Just because |
| Technology Professional, Businessman, Politician, etc. | | | | I am enlightened, does not mean you can't be also. |
| Step 2: In this field that you care very deeply about, | | | | We can all be enlightened (and are), so this is one of |
| think about someone who is enormously successful. | | | | those things you can chase without worrying about |
| Successful in all ways if possible. Someone who has | | | | having to wrestle it away from anyone else. There is |
| made a huge amount of money in that field, become | | | | no need to compete, it is an infinite, inexhaustible |
| famous and is powerful. Now one more criteria is | | | | resource. |
| important about this person. If possible, have it be | | | | So this test implies that you are not exclusively |
| someone who you don't like, or don't agree with. The | | | | chasing enlightenment. You are getting distracted and |
| more you dislike their ways and methods the better, | | | | running around all over the place chasing useless |
| but the test will also work pretty well even if you | | | | stupid things. Time to buckle down and get back to |
| don't dislike the person or their systems. | | | | the business of going after that which is the highest |
| Step 3: Watch your reaction to when you hear | | | | purpose of man. Time to fulfill your destiny. |
| complimentary information about this person, or just | | | | Take this test from time to time, or be aware when |
| hear about the success this person is having in their | | | | life brings it your way. It is an insightful instrument to |
| life. Be brutally honest, or you will just be cheating | | | | gauge your goodness and spiritual understanding. |